


Black Market

by Sandyclaws68



Category: Naruto
Genre: Developing Relationship, Gen, Genma can drive anyone crazy, Get Together, Hopefully Humor, Hot Springs & Onsen, Iruka in female guise, Kimono, M/M, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Mission Fic, Post-Fourth Shinobi War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-05
Updated: 2015-11-05
Packaged: 2018-04-30 04:18:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5149997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandyclaws68/pseuds/Sandyclaws68
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being assigned a mission with Hatake Kakashi was bad enough.  Being assigned to pose as the other man's mistress was that much worse.</p><p>Iruka honestly believed that it wasn't possible to make the situation more bizarre than it already was.  But between Genma, Izumo, and Kotetsu's clumsy attempts at matchmaking and Sakura repeatedly threatening to grind them all into dust he just might be proven wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tsuyume](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsuyume/gifts).



_Why me?_

Iruka was self-aware enough to realize how whiny and petulant he'd sound if he actually voiced that thought aloud, but he couldn't help himself. “Why me?”

Tsunade gave him a look that spoke volumes, but answered his question anyway. “You are one of the best infiltrators in Konoha, Iruka-sensei. This mission may very well require that level of finesse.”

“But. . . I. . .” Iruka caught the look on his Hokage's face and swallowed down any additional protests. His hand tightened around the scroll in his hands until his knuckles stood out a stark white against his olive skin.

Tsunade must have picked up on the tension radiating from him because she graced him with a small smile. “War breeds chaos, sensei, and there are always people willing to take advantage of that fact. Stopping this smuggling ring and their black market compatriots is a top priority right now. Getting trade between countries back to normal is vital to restoring the economies of every nation and village, and we can't do that until those underground activities are stopped.” She sighed loudly. “I know you understand all of that, and I'm sorry that your involvement on this mission is, well -”

“Ridiculous?” Iruka asked, finding his voice and just the right word. “Godaime-sama,” he began but Tsunade raised a hand and cut him off.

“Iruka, I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't necessary. The kunoichi that are available are either too old or too young to make it convincing. You're of similar age, and skilled enough to maintain a transformation over an extended period of time.” She looked the young man over. “Hell, you might just be able to effect a transformation without any kind of jutsu! With your hair down and the right clothes. . .”

Iruka felt a blush climbing his cheeks, but didn't otherwise react. It was hardly the first time that someone had made such a comment, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. And while he could always cut off his long hair he couldn't do anything about the full lips and the large, heart-melting eyes. Damn them.

But really! A mission in which he had to act the part of the mistress? And not just anyone's mistress, but Hatake Kakashi's?

Bloody fucking hell.

****~**~**~**~**~****

“Good morning, Iruka-sensei.”

Iruka swallowed hard against an instinctive, snappish response. There had always been something about Kakashi that more-or-less set his teeth on edge, but now wasn't the time to show it. So he contented himself with a polite “Good morning, taichou.” before leaning against the gate to await the arrival of the rest of the team and surreptitiously study his mission commander.

He had been surprised when Kakashi had been named one of the divisional commanders in the new Shinobi Alliance. Not because he doubted the jounin's abilities, more because he doubted the man's people skills. Despite decades as a jounin in command of squads on missions (including one they had been on together when Iruka was just eighteen) Kakashi remained, essentially, a loner; content perched in a tree with a book or rambling the countryside around the village with his ninken. The only person Iruka had ever seen him regularly interact with was Maito Gai, and that usually involved loud exclamations on the part of the latter and bored responses from the former.

But Kakashi had more than proved exactly what sort of shinobi, leader, and man he was during the war. And as annoying as Iruka continued to find the older man's lackadaisical attitude he had to admit to being favorably impressed by what he had heard. And maybe – just maybe – this mission wouldn't turn out as bad as he originally thought. Being cast in the role of woman/mistress still irked him, true, but he had dealt with worse in his life.

The sound of sandals scuffing the cobbles caught his attention, and he snapped out of his somewhat gloomy thoughts. Having read the mission scroll he had expected the presence of Shiranui Genma, who was to be Kakashi's second-in-command. But the presence of his friends Izumo and Kotetsu was a total surprise, but one surpassed by Sakura's arrival. Almost unbidden his eyes jumped to Kakashi, questioning.

The jounin pushed away from the wall at his back and stepped forward, waiting while the others gathered around him. He calmly laid out what their mission objective was, emphasizing the importance of what they were doing in terms of the post-war recovery. When he got into more specific details about how they would accomplish their goals Iruka felt a crawling sensation on his spine as four pairs of eyes turned to him. When Kakashi finished the explanation Genma, Kotetsu and Izumo exchanged telling glances while Sakura kept her eyes down and face averted. It didn't hide her blush, though.

Genma was, predictably, the first to comment. “So, let me make sure I've got this straight,” he said, a hint of laughter in his voice. “You, Kakashi, are posing as a wealthy merchant. Kotetsu, Izumo and I are your bodyguards/muscle/hired thugs. And Iruka is. . .” His voice trailed away and a wide grin spread on his face.

Kakashi scowled. “What part of my explanation was unclear, Genma-kun?” he asked, deliberately using the childish form of address. Genma was not in the least discomfited, either by the scowl or the underlying attitude of his commander. If anything his grin expanded, and he even winked at Iruka, who took a step forward to cut the jokes and innuendo off before they could even get started.

“Yes, my role in this mission is as Kakashi's mistress, all right? I was assigned to this squad mainly because I am one of the best infiltration specialists in this village, as you damned well know.” That last was said with a penetrating glare for Genma, who finally looked slightly cowed. “And given the importance of our objective I think it might be best if we held off on the stupid and juvenile jokes until it's all over.” He inhaled when done speaking to get the anger under control, then turned to Kakashi. “Is there more to the briefing, Hatake-taichou?” he asked, making sure to keep his voice and manner as formal and proper as could be.

Kakashi looked slightly taken aback, either by Iruka's vehemence in lecturing Genma or by his sudden switch back to calm and composed, but he simply nodded. “There is more to the briefing, but we have two days travel to get to the onsen that we believe the smugglers are using as a headquarters and where they'll be entertaining a group of merchants who's cooperation they're seeking. So let's get moving.” He shot Genma another quelling glance. “We'll go over things in more detail when we stop for the night,” he concluded before setting off at a brisk run.

Iruka sighed. His two best friends, a gossip hound, a former student, and the most annoying jounin imaginable, all stuck in the inevitably close-quarters of an onsen, trying to take down a gang of smugglers and black marketeers. This mission just kept getting better all the time.

****~**~**~**~**~****

They made excellent time on the second day, so much so that Kakashi called a halt earlier than anyone expected. They were just over an hour's walk away from the onsen, and they needed time to change clothes and get into their roles. Iruka especially, since his transformation would be the most involved and intricate. Sakura pulled a handful of scrolls out of her pack and released the seals; all of the clothes and supplies needed for their masquerades puffed into being and they parted ways to get changed in a modicum of privacy.

All except Iruka and Sakura. He knew he would need the kunoichi's help with the kimono and makeup he was expected to wear. She changed her own clothes quickly and set to her task as Iruka's attendant, the role that she would serve during the entire mission. He was thankful that she didn't crack any jokes about the situation as she worked, smoothing the silk fabric and adjusting the lay to minimize the breadth of his shoulders. She used a special, chakra-infused cream of her own invention to conceal his scar, then passed the jar to him so he could cover the One Hundred Seals mark on her forehead.

“You know, Iruka-sensei, I'm so pleased to be on this mission,” she said, using a thumb to smudge the kohl at the corner of his eye. “We've never worked together before, and I'm honored to have the opportunity.”

Iruka smiled. “I'm honored as well, Sakura-chan,” he replied. “And pleased to get to know the person you've grown up to be.”

Sakura blushed and took a step back, eyeing her handiwork. With a satisfied nod she put the eye makeup away and started on his lips, resolutely ignoring his twitching at the ticklish sensation of the brush. He was just pulling the tie out and shaking his head to get his hair to fall when he felt another person come up behind him.

“Well, well, sensei, this is a surprise.”

Sakura frowned as she worked a gel into Iruka's hair that would accentuate the slight waviness. “Don't start, Genma-san,” she all but growled. “Remember, I can punch you hard enough that you and the ground will become one.”

“And whatever's left over I'll finish off,” Kakashi said in the silence that fell.

Iruka's shoulders tensed but he obstinately kept his eyes on Sakura's. He honestly did not want to look at Kakashi, not after what had happened the previous evening. . .

_The argument was a good two hours old and showed no signs of stopping. Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, resolutely doing his best to ignore the headache that was growing behind his eyes. He knew Genma well enough to understand that the tokujo was being contrary simply for the sake of being contrary, but why Izumo and Kotetsu kept at it was beyond him. He would have expected that the pair were both too scared of Kakashi to keep it up for very long. And other than one brief sound halfway between a grunt and a snort of amusement Sakura had kept out of the whole mess and appeared to be asleep._

_But finally, it seemed, Kakashi had reached a breaking point. With a low growl he rose to his feet and stalked away from the camp, mumbling something about fetching more water and firewood. As soon as he thought their captain was out of earshot Iruka turned to Kotetsu and Izumo._

“ _What the hell is the matter with you two?” he hissed. “What does it really matter if he dyes his hair for this mission or not? We're dealing with merchants and smugglers, not shinobi that have memorized a Bingo Book and are likely to recognize Kakashi-san because of his hair!” Genma opened his mouth to say something but Iruka cut him off with a slashing motion of his hand. “I don't want to hear a word out of you,” he said. “You've been arguing simply to be an ass.” He was breathing hard by the time he was done speaking._

_Izumo wisely kept his mouth closed, but Kotetsu was apparently feeling defensive. “Better safe than sorry, don't you think? If he dyes his hair it'll make it that much harder for anyone to recognize him.”_

_Iruka shook his head. “You really don't get it, do you?” he asked. “Anyone that might recognize him is going to be looking for **Sharingan** no Kakashi, you idiot, not a Kakashi with **no** Sharingan!”_

“ _Maa, sensei, don't fault him. Undercover missions are always stressful, even at the best of times. Some people just can't handle the pressure.” The lazy drawl of that voice was unmistakable, even before Kakashi stepped into the circle of firelight._

_The sight of him in the flickering light was almost Iruka's undoing. Eyes wide, mouth gaping, he found it difficult to even think of a response._

_And all because Kakashi had removed his mask. It was just his dumb luck that the lazy bastard was as good-looking as he was annoying._

And now it was time to start the masquerade. The previous evening Iruka had been convinced that his only saving grace had been the darkness hiding the heat in his cheeks, although something in her glance let him know that Sakura had noticed something amiss. Even as he watched her eyes flickered between the two of them and her face flushed slightly. With a sigh Iruka stepped back away from her, gave his hair a decidedly feminine toss, and turned to face Kakashi.

Who looked beyond amazing in the formal, richly embroidered clothes that had been chosen for him. Everything was in a variety of earth tones, from the almost dun color of his hakama trousers to the glittering bronze haori that brought an unmistakable warmth to his pale complexion. All of it a stunning contrast – and complement to – the rich ivory and cream that Iruka wore. Someone had clearly given the garments substantial thought, making them a powerful, visual statement of the relationship they were expected to portray.

Iruka wholeheartedly blamed Shizune.

“Okay, I give,” Genma said, his voice cutting through Iruka's thoughts. “No need to dye that hair,” he concluded with a grin. Izumo and Kotetsu both numbly nodded their agreement.

Kakashi simply grunted, his mouth visible as it twisted in a wry smile. No Sharingan and no mask were more than enough of a disguise; the clothes were simply gilding the lily. Then his gaze turned more fully on Iruka, and his eyes widened. His mouth opened but he couldn't seem to get words to come out.

Genma, of course, had no such problem. He stepped closer and knocked his shoulder against Kakashi's. “She's something, isn't she?” he commented, casting an unmistakable leer Iruka's way.

Iruka shot the tokujo his best teacher's glare and got a thoroughly unrepentant grin in return.

****~**~**~**~**~****

Their first night at the onsen was uneventful, if one didn't count Kotetsu grumbling about getting stuck with surveillance duties. Exhaustion from the two days of almost constant travel and the on-going mental tension of being undercover allowed Iruka to sleep heavily, more so than he was accustomed to doing on a mission. Sakura's presence in the room also seemed to have a calming effect; the steady rhythm of another's breathing was almost hypnotic.

In keeping with his role as the pampered mistress of a wealthy merchant Iruka didn't stir from his room until nearly two o'clock in the afternoon. Sakura had spent most of the morning with him, fetching breakfast and then sitting on the bed as they ate together. Iruka had not lied when he had told the young woman that he appreciated the opportunity to get to know her better as an adult, and after a morning spent in her company he didn't regret it one bit.

Sakura had a rather dry sense of humor that appealed to her former teacher, coupled with the same capacity for laughing at herself that characterized her mentor, Tsunade. She gave him a comprehensive update on how both Naruto and Sasuke were healing after their fight, for which he was grateful. Then she returned the breakfast dishes to the kitchen and stayed there, using that time to talk to other servants and gain information.

She returned a little over two hours later and started laying out his clothes for the day. “I saw Kakashi-sensei in the corridor,” she said. “There's a reception of sorts for the visiting merchants and their. . . companions and he wants you with him.”

Iruka smiled at the way she said 'companions'. “Don't any of these visitors have wives?” he asked as he rose from the chaise he had been half-sitting, half-lounging on.

Sakura grinned. “The woman does.”

Iruka sputtered a laugh, Sakura quickly joining in. “I have a feeling this is going to be more enjoyable than I originally thought,” was his only comment.

Sakura was just putting the finishing touches on his hair when Kakashi knocked at the door. Just like the day before he looked absolutely magnificent, this time in brilliant sapphire blue accented with varying shades of grey and silver. And again Iruka's clothing was complementary; a soft, buttery yellow with embroidery in the same blue around the neck and hem and a silver kanzashi comb in his hair.

Kakashi smiled when Iruka stepped closer to him. “We make quite the pair, don't we, sensei?”

“That is the plan, isn't it?”

The reception was being held in one of the onsen's small banquet halls, and Genma and Izumo accompanied them. Kotetsu, being on overnight surveillance, was still asleep, and Sakura stayed behind to make sure he woke up and had a decent meal. When they got to the hall Kakashi stopped just outside the closed doors and held an arm out to Iruka, who took it with what he hoped was a demure smile.

“Ready?”

Iruka took a deep breath, making sure to pitch his voice higher. “As I'll ever be.”

Just over an hour later he was seriously regretting any positive thoughts he had entertained about this thrice-cursed mission. After being presented by Kakashi to the other merchants he was relegated to conversation with the “companions”, each one more brainless and insipid than the last. If it wasn't for Genma's presence at his back, occasionally making pointed comments in the softest of whispers, he would never have survived.

When he was finally able to grab a moment for himself Genma approached with a cup of sake in his hand which Iruka downed in one gulp, not caring that the action wasn't very ladylike. The burn of the alcohol felt wonderful in his throat and he sighed heavily before handing the cup back to his “bodyguard”.

“I don't suppose you could get me another?”

“Probably not a good idea,” Genma replied, his eyes continuously moving about the room. A tiny smile quirked one corner of his mouth. “When this mission is over I promise you a night out so you can get roaring, falling-down drunk. Fair enough?”

“Deal,” Iruka replied with a small smile of his own. “I've been cooped up in my room nearly all day,” he went on, “and have no idea what we've learned, if anything.”

“You see that fat, exceptionally ugly man at our ten o'clock?” Genma asked. When Iruka nodded the tokujo continued. “We suspected that he was the brains behind this entire operation, but turns out he's about as dumb as a stump.”

Iruka bit his lip to keep from laughing. “So where does that leave us?”

“No where, for the moment. Unless our captain knows something he isn't sharing.”

Iruka felt his gaze almost involuntarily jump to Kakashi, and any hope that Genma didn't notice evaporated as soon as the tokujo chuckled low in his throat, “He's impressive, isn't he? I mean he always was, as a shinobi, but now. . .” The other man whistled. “That's one hell of a _man_.”

The blush rose fast and intense until Iruka could feel the tips of his ears burning. “You're spoken for, are you not?” he asked, arching an eyebrow in an effort to look disinterested.

Genma laughed and moved closer, ducking his head so his lips brushed against the chuunin's ear. “Spoken for, not dead, sensei,” he whispered, his soft voice rich with humor. “And as you are neither dead nor spoken for maybe you just need a push in the right direction.”

Iruka's blush switched from embarrassed to angry in the blink of an eye. “Don't you dare!” he hissed, pinning Genma in place with a glare. “This is a mission, not one of your idiotic matchmaking projects!”

“A mission in which you and Kakashi will be needing to spend time in Very. Close. Quarters.” He laughed slightly when Iruka's face paled. “No need to worry, sensei. If the looks he's been casting your way since this reception started are anything to go by you just might be luckier than you thought.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

The reception dragged on for another mind-numbing two hours, then was followed by a lavish dinner attended by only two other pairs besides Iruka and Kakashi. The food was excellent, but Iruka managed to avoid the plum wine that was served. He observed that Kakashi was a master at appearing to consume more alcohol than he actually did, and made a mental note to ask the older man how he did it. Given the propensities of some of his friend Iruka reasoned it would be a valuable skill to acquire.

The seating arrangement at the table had placed him directly across from Kakashi, so Iruka was able to entertain himself to a degree by watching Izumo, who stood against the wall behind their captain. His fellow chuunin's facial expressions ranged from impossibly bored to tightly pinched in an effort to suppress laughter. Iruka guessed that the latter was due to something that Genma, in position behind his back, was doing. Probably making rude and suggestive comments in field sign language, if the way Izumo kept glancing from Kakashi to Iruka was anything to judge by.

But then he suddenly saw Izumo stiffen, his entire posture and demeanor changing in a split second. His eyes focused sharply on a point somewhere to Iruka's right. Then he brushed one of his hands across the front of his haori before taking a moment to study his fingernails. It was an unmistakable piece of shinobi shorthand: _being watched_. Genma must have repeated the message for Kakashi, because the jounin gave an infinitesimal nod and shifted his gaze to the same point.

Iruka knew who was sitting to his right; the merchant that Genma had described as “dumb as a stump”. The one that they had decided couldn't be the brains of the entire smuggling operation. But. . . Iruka's eyes leaped to Kakashi, finding the jounin's gaze intent on his face. Kakashi raised one hand to his face, two fingers in a V, and tapped his chin twice with his index finger. _Bodyguard_.

The rest of the meal passed in an unpleasant haze. Iruka was uncomfortably aware that the bodyguard that was watching them was behind him, and he couldn't combat the prickling sensation on his neck. He could hear cloth rustling every time Genma shifted his stance slightly, and hear the tokujo's occasional frustrated mutterings.

So it was with an immense amount of relief that he watched as Kakashi stood, made their excuses and farewells, and accepted a certain amount of lewd ribbing before helping Iruka rise from his chair. With the chuunin's hand held firmly in his Kakashi made a graceful exit from the dining room, Izumo and Genma not far behind. As soon as the door closed behind him Iruka felt his breath coming easier, and he relaxed enough to lean against Kakashi as they made their way to the suite that their group was occupying.

Sakura and Kotetsu were seated at the low table in the main room, the remnants of a meal spread out. Sakura was laughing at some comment the other chuunin had made, but her face was flushed pink with something besides amusement. The empty sake cup at her elbow was a dead giveaway. The pair of them sobered quickly, though, when they saw the faces of their teammates.

Kakashi nodded to Genma and Izumo, who immediately began a chakra sweep of the entire suite, looking for any listening devices or hidden cameras. He took Kotetsu into the bathroom and the sound of water running was immediately heard. Presumably whatever orders the team captain was giving were drowned out by that. When Kotetsu emerged from the bath he acknowledged Iruka with a quick salute before slipping out the window, all shadows and stealth.

Sakura took hold of one of Iruka's arms and directed him to the largest of the three bedrooms where they had slept the previous night. “What happened to set all of you so on edge?” she asked as she worked to divest her former teacher of his elaborate garments.

Iruka gave her a brief summary of what had transpired at dinner, watching understanding and speculation chase across her face. “That thug,” she said in a voice just barely above a whisper. “No one knows his name, but in the kitchen they call him Osuushi. The last time he was here with his boss they said he raped one of the chambermaids.” She looked frightened as she said it, but resolute. “And you said he's the bodyguard of the man originally believed to be the one in charge?”

Iruka nodded. “That's what Genma told me, at any rate. But apparently that particular merchant is, and I quote 'dumb as a stump', so. . .”

“It makes a nice front though, doesn't it?” Kakashi's soft voice intruded, making both Iruka and Sakura start. “Wealthy, influential merchant visible on the surface, while his hired hand does all the plotting and scheming behind the scenes?” He nodded back toward the main room. “Izumo and Genma didn't find anything, but that doesn't mean it isn't there.” His words were so quiet that a listening device would have trouble picking them up, but Sakura and Iruka had no trouble hearing him. “That means that we start fully playing our parts, effective now. Sakura, you'll sleep in the room I used last night; Genma and Izumo will rotate watches to keep an eye on you.”

“And what about me?” Iruka asked after Sakura had gathered her things together and left the room. He had to bite down on the urge to laugh nervously when Kakashi moved closer, almost like he was stalking the younger man. He heard the call of a whippoorwill from outside the window and then Kakashi was right beside him, arms wrapping tight around him and lips gliding across his jaw to his ear.

“We have company outside,” he whispered. “I ordered Kotetsu to check around, but not interfere. That whippoorwill means there's only one of them.”

Iruka fought to hide the shudder that raced through his body as Kakashi's breath brushed across the sensitive skin behind his ear. “So who keeps an eye on me?” he asked again, fisting his hands in the fabric of the jounin's haori where it covered his chest.

“Oh, sensei, you get the best protection there is.” And then Kakashi's lips were on his.

He knew that the jounin was just acting a part, but Iruka was hard-pressed to tell that from the feel of that kiss. The lips on his were surprisingly soft, which he attributed to the mask that Kakashi habitually wore. And then those lips were moving; sliding across his and nibbling a little at the corner of his mouth.

Iruka didn't have to play-act the sigh or the melting into Kakashi's embrace. If anyone had told him just a week ago that he would react like this to a kiss from Konoha's most exasperating jounin he would have laughed the idea off. He had been attracted to Kakashi for years, that was true, but that attraction had always been blunted by the need for secrecy that was inherent in the older man's personality as well as the general asshole-ishness that Kakashi brought into their every interaction.

But now there was no secrecy, no mask, and no asshole-ishness, just warm lips on his and a silky tongue pressing delicately forward, asking for entrance. With a soft moan Iruka opened his mouth. And in that brief moment of surrender he forgot everything. There was no mission, no smugglers, no black market merchants making obscene profits at the expense of ordinary people. There was no Konoha, no Land of Fire. No shinobi alliance to support and uphold. There was only this moment and this man.

Until Kakashi broke the kiss, and the spell. “Are you up for putting on a show for our watcher, sensei?”

And just as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water the sensual haze suddenly disappeared. But Iruka was still a shinobi, still a professional, and he wouldn't falter in his duty.

No matter how uncomfortable it might be.


	2. Chapter 2

The following morning Iruka woke up alone, although he knew he hadn't fallen asleep that way. The bedclothes smelled of Kakashi, and the reminder of his behavior the previous evening was enough to make Iruka sick to his stomach. He had his role to play on this mission, and he needed to focus on that and not get distracted by one kiss, however wonderful it had been.

Determined to not spend another day stuck in the suite he rose and made his way to the bathroom. After a quick clean up and judicious use of his favorite shaving jutsu he dressed in the simplest set of garments in his mission wardrobe; a deep forest green yukata embroidered all over with leaves in a slightly lighter shade. Once his hair was tied loosely at the nape of his neck he felt more or less ready to face the day.

Sakura and Genma were arguing when Iruka entered the main room, and judging by the blush on Sakura's cheeks he could take a guess as to what the fight was about. When Sakura suddenly stood and clenched her fist he decided it was past time to intervene. Not that he wouldn't have enjoyed seeing Genma get punched through the wall, but now wasn't the time.

“Sakura.”

She started, but long experience as a teacher told Iruka it was more from guilt than surprise. When she glanced his way she looked distinctly apologetic. He chose to ignore what he had witnessed between the pair of them and went on as if nothing untoward had happened. “I'd like to have breakfast in the garden,” he said, glancing out the open doors at the beautiful morning. “If you could arrange that, please?”

Sakura simply nodded and left the room, but not without one last glare for Genma. The tokujo simply grinned in return and followed Iruka outside, taking a seat at the opposite end of a bench. They sat in silence for a time, apparently both content to enjoy the sunshine and birdsong. Then. .

“I'm sorry, Iruka,” he said. “That was -”

“Petty and unprofessional?”

Genma laughed. “Not the words I planned on using, but they'll do in a pinch.” He sighed. “She's just so. . . protective of you that I couldn't resist needling her a bit.”

Iruka sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have a feeling I know what you were giving her hell about, but I think I'd rather not know for sure.”

Genma didn't laugh again, he just looked somewhat thoughtful, which was a surprise. “She doesn't like that you've been put in such a position on this mission,” he said, voice quiet. “Especially with regards to, well, you know.”

Iruka did, but he didn't say anything. When Sakura returned with breakfast Genma quietly stood, did a quick sweep of the private garden and hot spring, then left with a soft smile for Sakura, his way of apologizing. She acknowledged him with a nod before sitting alongside Iruka. They ate breakfast in total silence, although Iruka sensed that there was something on the young woman's mind; something that she wanted to ask him. Her discretion made a nice change from Genma's anything-goes style.

But when he announced his intention to spend some time in the spring, however, she got a lot less hesitant in speaking out. “I don't think that's such a good idea, Iruka-sensei,” she said. “I know it's supposed to be private and all, but -”

Iruka laughed. “Give me a little credit, Sakura. I've been avoiding using a henge because of the chakra signature it creates, not because I can't. Any of our watchers will see what they expect to. Besides, I'm not going to spend our entire time at this onsen without at least one good soak!”

Sakura sighed and chuckled, if a little sheepishly. “I know, I know,” she said. “I'm being an idiot. I've never really been on an undercover mission before, and it's getting to me a bit, I think.” She stood up and collected the breakfast things. “I'll get your robe and some towels, then take all of this back to the kitchen and do a bit more poking around.”

Iruka nodded and made his way to the suite's private spring, looking forward to indulging himself. Sakura returned and left the robe and towels without a word, and he wasted no time in giving himself a quick shower before settling in the spring with a loud sigh of contentment.

It wasn't long before he felt another presence, though. He had just started the hand signs for a transformation jutsu (at the very least he needed some breasts) when he recognized who it was that was disturbing his peace.

“Genma says I owe you an apology,” Kakashi said without any preamble.

Iruka managed to not react with anger or disgust, but it was close. “Really?” he asked, tilting his head back until he could just see Kakashi's hair above him. “And what imagined offense does he believe you perpetrated against me?”

The spiky hair disappeared from view as Kakashi folded himself to sit on the paving stones beside the pool Iruka was lounging in. “He says my behavior last night was a bit over the line.”

Iruka stopped trying to suppress his anger, and felt the flush of it chase across his cheekbones. “I should have let Sakura punch him,” he muttered, half to himself. Although judging by the smile on Kakashi's face the other man heard him loud and clear. He turned in the pool so they could face each other more directly before speaking. “Look, Kakashi. You have a job to do here. So do I. Last night was. . . Well, we did what needed to be done.” Then he stopped speaking as another thought struck him. “Wait, how the hell does he know what happened? And what, exactly was he referring to?”

Kakashi's face went a little pink. “Apparently Izumo took first watch over Sakura while Genma did a quick security survey of the garden. And I don't think he was referring to the make-believe sex.”

“Oh.”

“Quite.” Kakashi scrubbed one hand over the back of his head. “Look, Iruka, I. . . Hell.” He fidgeted slightly but didn't stand. He also didn't meet Iruka's gaze. “If that kiss was out of line then I do, sincerely, apologize. But I thought -”

“I enjoyed it,” Iruka cut in, quietly. Kakashi's eyes jumped to his face. “I didn't expect to, but I did. So there's really no need to apologize.”

A small smile quirked one corner of Kakashi's mouth. “I didn't expect to either,” he said. “I've always thought you were attractive, sensei, but I never realized how attractive until. . .”

“Until you saw me dressed as a woman?” Iruka asked, his voice laced with equal parts amusement and exasperation.

Kakashi laughed. “Not exactly.” When their eyes met Iruka was surprised by the heat he saw in the other man's. “When I saw you with your hair down, and in clothes that made the most of every feature you keep hidden under a baggy uniform and a teacher's stern demeanor.” His eyes tracked downward, under the water. “But I must say that I like this outfit best of all.”

Iruka blushed. “Kakashi, this isn't -”

“I know, I know.” Kakashi waved a hand. “A mission like this, with all of the forced intimacy, is not the ideal time or place to be thinking such things, let alone talking about it.” He stood with one last smile. “But I wanted you to know. Once this mission is over. . . Well, I'll leave that decision to you.” And he walked off towards the building.

Iruka scrambled out of the pool and into his robe quickly, then followed after the other man. “Kakashi, what -” he began as he stepped through the garden door, only to stop when he saw the flower arrangement that was on the hall table.

Although 'on” was almost the wrong word. It wasn't just sitting on the table, it covered it. The arrangement was enormous and, in Iruka's opinion, unspeakably ugly. It was almost as if someone had deliberately chosen the ugliest flowers known to humankind (And was that ragweed?) and made sure to have them put together in a way that showed them at their worst. He thought of Ino, and what she would have made of such a display, and his lips quirked.

Then he noticed the card held in Kakashi's hands, and the abnormal paleness of the other man's face.

****~**~**~**~**~****

“Who, exactly, is Kurotsuchi?” Iruka's voice was almost too loud in the stillness.

The entire team was gathered in the main room of the suite. Even Kotetsu, who looked like he was still half asleep. They were taking a big risk by having this conversation without knowing for sure about cameras or listening devices, but Kakashi had decided it was worth it.

“That merchant,” Genma chimed in. “Dumb as a stump, remember?”

Kakashi grunted. “I was afraid of this,” he said, scrubbing one hand down his face. “That stupid reception.” He looked directly at Iruka. “He was a little too effusive in his comments about you.”

Iruka grimaced, feeling slightly sick to his stomach. It was an inherent risk in this sort of undercover operation, but he really didn't want to think about that unpleasant man having a crush on him. “What about the bodyguard?” he asked. “The one Sakura said they call Osuushi?”

At the mention of that name Kotetsu perked up. “Kakashi had me keep an eye on him last night,” he put in. “And he met with a member of the onsen's staff; one of the men who is involved in security for visiting dignitaries.”

 _That_ got everyone's attention, but Genma was the first to put the thought into words. “Someone like that, who manages security at a resort like this, would be ideally placed to facilitate smuggling.”

“If it's the man I think it is he's also a sort of unofficial major domo,” Sakura added. “He supervises the kitchen and catering staff on large scale events.”

“Like yesterday's reception,” Iruka said musingly.

Kakashi nodded once before he stood and began to pace. It wasn't an agitated motion, more like the repetitive back-and-forth helped him to concentrate. No one said a word as they waited patiently for him to arrive at a decision.

“Right,” he finally said, halting and turning to face five pairs of expectant eyes. “Mission profile change. Izumo, from now on you're on overnight surveillance with Kotetsu. I want his attention to stay focused on Osuushi, so you'll be handling pretty much everything else, especially the onsen staff.” When Izumo nodded in understanding Kakashi turned his attention to Genma. “You're in charge of Sakura's safety,” he said, in a voice that brooked absolutely no argument, and Genma gave him none, not even jokingly. “Sensei, I'm going to need you to actively cultivate the women, find out what, if anything, they know. During evening meals and any more parties we'll both be able to do that, but during the day it'll all be on you.”

Iruka smiled. “As long as I don't have to act the part of the blushing maiden I think I can handle that.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

_Oh Gods, I can NOT handle this_ , Iruka found himself thinking just about three hours later. Lunch had been bad enough, with its endless gossip about people he didn't know and in-depth discussion of the latest fashions, but since settling in for an afternoon of card games things had gotten that much worse. He was more than ready to give up on his task, convinced that none of these woman had a single thought in her head that didn't involve clothes, jewelry, and who was fucking who, when he caught the tail end of a comment that seemed almost non-significant.

“. . . doesn't like coming here, but there's always extra profit to be made.”

Iruka didn't visibly react to the words, but inside his mind started racing. He tried to place the voice so he could avoid turning his head to look. He thought it was the wife of the lone female merchant in the little cabal, and the comment seemed to suggest that the pair of them had done business before at this onsen. And on more than one occasion.

And that reference to extra profit. Extra as in black market? Iruka knew that in the excessively demand driven world of the black market prices could be exorbitant, and the profits correspondingly so. For some merchants the risk of reprisals – from shinobi, no less – wasn't worth the money, but the group gathered here seemed to be made of sterner stuff.

He lost two tricks in the round of Two-Ten-Jack that he was playing because he was trying to listen in on the other conversation, so with a brief smile of apology he excused himself from the game. He wandered to the other side of the room, perusing the bookshelves. He was somewhat disgusted, but not surprised, to find the entire _Icha Icha_ collection taking up one whole shelf. He was mentally gauging what Kakashi's reaction to that information might be when he became aware that one of the other woman had approached him.

“Sensei?”

He answered almost absentmindedly before realizing what he had done. The fact that the woman speaking to him was Kurotsuchi's mistress made it rather worse. She smiled in a not-at-all friendly way. “I thought I heard some of your servants addressing you that way and was surprised,” she said, gaze calculating. “But it doesn't seem to be so unusual if you respond to it.”

Iruka laughed and raised one hand in a languid gesture of dismissal. “It's just a silly nickname,” he replied. “They say I'm always lecturing them like a schoolteacher, so. . .”

The woman (and for the life of him he couldn't remember her name) laughed also, but without humor. Iruka was on the verge of asking her why she had approached him but was stopped by the intense gaze searching his face. Then without another word she turned and walked away, leaving him with the creeping feeling that some part of his masquerade had just crumbled.

But then he remembered the flowers, and what Kakashi had described as Kurotsuchi's effusive comments about him, and relaxed slightly. Yes, it was possible that she had seen through his cover, but it was equally possible that she was simply reacting out of jealousy.

The door to the room they were in slid open and Genma was there, gesturing to Iruka. The chuunin excused himself with a bow and left the room, swallowing against the sigh of relief that wanted to escape. They didn't speak until arriving back at their suite.

“All right, sensei?” Genma asked, his face creased with concern.

Iruka shook his head and in a low voice told the tokujo about his entire afternoon, including the small overheard comment and his worries that his cover may have been blown. Genma listened in silence, nodding his head occasionally in encouragement. “You might be on to something with that woman,” Genma said. “I had an interesting conversation with some of the other hired muscle today and apparently she has a history of not exactly ethical business dealings. In the past she's been based mainly around Iwagakure, but the strengthened ties of the alliance have made some of her old haunts uncomfortable, to say the least.”

Sakura came out of the smaller bedroom and they brought her up-to-date on what had been learned that day. She looked worried when told about Iruka's brief encounter with Kurotsuchi's mistress but seemed to agree that jealousy was probably a factor. “Honestly,” she said with a sly grin, “if what I've been told in the kitchen is anything to go by not one of these women is intelligent enough to figure out how to put on her own sandals, let alone anything else!”

She also had two bits of information to contribute herself. One was two names that Iruka had managed to forget; the female merchant, Akemi, and Kurotsuchi's mistress, Tohiko. The other was that Osuushi hadn't always worked for Kurotsuchi; on at least two occasions he had been at the onsen in the pay of someone else.

“Rogue Iwa nin, if rumor is to be believed,” Sakura put the finishing touch on her report as Iruka and Genma exchanged a telling glance. “Osuushi was supposedly a part of their little mercenary band, but he seemed more interested in profit than fighting.”

Genma looked surprised, but only for a moment. “So he could have been setting all of this up that far back,” he said, gesturing for Iruka and Sakura to proceed him into the garden. “Come on, we need to spill all of this to Kakashi.”

The team captain was lounging in the hot spring when they found him, looking for all the world like the most relaxed person imaginable. It was all an act, they knew; on missions Kakashi was never anything less than one hundred per cent alert and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Their report shocked him out of his complacent pose and he rose up and out of the pool in the blink of an eye. Sakura turned a shade of pink to rival her hair and turned away while Iruka tossed him a towel, hoping that the action concealed his own blush. Genma just grinned at his teammates' discomfiture.

“Okay, all information exchanges and reports are now to take place in the garden,” Kakashi began as he tucked the towel around his waist. “No exceptions.” He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before starting to bark out orders. “Right. Sakura, I want you to do whatever you can to get close to this Akemi's servants. They'll know things, and unless I've read _he_ r completely wrong they'll be only too willing to spill everything. Genma, you -”

“I'm not going to get much sleep tonight, am I?”

Kakashi's grin was slightly apologetic. “Probably not. I want you with Kotetsu tonight. Between the pair of you you should be able to cover the entire combination of Osuushi, Kurotsuchi, and Tohiko.” Then he glanced at Iruka. “We're staying in tonight. I'll send a message of apology to our host and make arrangements to have dinner brought to us.”

After the others left Iruka stepped closer and lowered his voice. “You're worried about something, aren't you?” he asked, making sure to keep his eyes on Kakashi's.

“I'm the team captain; I'm always worried,” he replied in an effort to shrug it off. Iruka wasn't having any of that, though, and caught and held the other man's wrist. Kakashi sighed. “Okay, fine. I'm worried that we may have missed something. Something vital.” He shook his head with a small, self-deprecating laugh. “The women. Why is it always the women? And why do we never suspect them first?”

Iruka's face registered surprise, then understanding. “You think it's her, don't you? Akemi. That she's the mastermind behind all of this.” He thought back over the things they had learned that day. “She's known to be questionable in her business dealings and has operated in Earth Country for years. Osuushi has a past connection to rouge Iwa shinobi.”

“The pieces fit together rather neatly, don't they?” Kakashi put in. He looked like he approved of Iruka's quick, and accurate, appraisal of the facts. “I suspect Kurotsuchi was simply a conduit; a means through which the two of them could communicate.”

Iruka nodded slowly, his mind drifting over other things that had happened that day. “But what about Tohiko?” he asked. He felt a shiver chase down his spine as he remembered her penetrating gaze, studying him. “Where does she fit in to all of this, if she does?”

“I'm hoping that's what Genma and Kotetsu can discover.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

Sakura shifted but didn't wake up when the shadow crossed over the windowsill and dropped soundlessly to the floor. Iruka, who had been stretched out on a futon not too far from the window but not sleeping, sat up. “Anything?” he asked in a quiet voice that was softer than any whisper.

“Nothing. It's all quiet.” Kakashi's voice was equally soft and he glanced toward the bed to see if Sakura had woken. Reassured that she was still asleep he went on. “I passed Izumo near the bonsai garden, and he said there's been nothing odd on his end either.” He moved closer and slid down the wall to sit beside Iruka.

The chuunin shivered in the chilly breeze coming through the window and Kakashi held out an arm. “Come here,” he coaxed gently, and Iruka slid across the futon and into the circle of the older man's embrace. He appreciated the warmth, but had to resist the urge to snuggle against Kakashi. Long moments went by in silence, the only sounds the rustling of the trees outside and the slow, rhythmic breathing of Sakura. Finally Iruka broke it.

“Can I ask you something?” he breathed. When Kakashi's arm tightened around him he took that as assent. “Earlier you said that it's always the women, and 'Why do we never suspect them first?'. Just. . . the way you said it makes it seem like there's a story there.”

A soft laugh gusted warm breath across the nape of Iruka's neck. “Are you asking me what the story is, sensei? Or just expressing an opinion?”

Iruka rolled his eyes, even though the other man couldn't see it. “I'm asking,” he said. “But if you don't want to tell me that's fine.” He smiled into the dark. “I'm an excellent listener, though.”

Kakashi didn't respond right away, and Iruka was ready to chalk it all up to the other man's almost obsessive need for privacy when a low voice began speaking. “It was when I was in ANBU,” he said haltingly, so softly that Iruka nearly missed it. He froze so as not to miss a single word as Kakashi went on. “It was one of the last ANBU missions I was sent on. We were so focused on the man that we suspected was selling state secrets that we completely missed what was actually going on. Until she killed a member of my team and one of her own information brokers. She got away because we – well, I – was too stunned to even react. My last ANBU mission was to kill her. A success, I might add. But the Sandaime pulled me out anyway. Said it was time; that I needed to get out before I broke beyond repair.”

Something in the tone of the other man's voice told Iruka there was more to the story. He didn't ask, just gave in to the urge to snuggle against Kakashi's warmth. The arm around his shoulders tightened and a hand rubbed his bicep. He let his head fall to rest on the jounin's shoulder.

“That's not the whole story, of course,” Kakashi said just as the silence was about to get uncomfortable. “Part of the mission was for one member of the team to seduce this woman that we thought was incidental to the spying but might have information.”

“Her?” Iruka asked, lifting his head to look at his companion, who's face was in shadow except for one eye. “And you?”

Kakashi nodded. “Turned out, though, that there was some mutual seducing going on. She knew who we were, why we were there, and did what she could to make use of us.” There was a shift in his body's position as Kakashi shoved his unoccupied hand through his hair. “I. . . well, I fell for her. Not completely, perhaps, but enough.”

“That's why Sandaime-sama though you might break beyond repair.” Iruka took a deep breath, worried that his next words would end the spell. “And why you've closed yourself off from other people for so many years. Why you never let anyone in completely.”

Iruka thought he heard _That might be changing_ before a hand caught his chin and tilted his face. The chuunin felt, rather than saw, Kakashi moving closer, until their lips were almost touching. “May I kiss you, Iruka?”

“But you said -”

Kakashi chuckled low in his throat. “Yes, I did, and in the light of day tomorrow I'll probably say it again. But right now I want to be a hypocrite. Will you let me?”

Iruka sighed, intrigued by the shudder that passed through the other man's frame. “Yes, please. I want you to.”

Their lips met; a soft, feather-light touch. Wanting more Iruka pressed forward, only to have Kakashi back away slightly, maintaining the barely-a-kiss. His lips curved in a smile, and Iruka lifted his hands to take hold of the jounin's face, cradling it between his palms.

“Ass,” he whispered before crushing their mouths together and wringing a groan of satisfaction from Kakashi.

The rest of the night passed in a haze of delicate kisses and careful, exploratory touches. When the first rosy flush of dawn appeared in the eastern sky they dozed off, tangled together on the futon.


	3. Chapter 3

Iruka was roused by the sound of voices coming through the open window, and he jerked upright, wincing at the crick in his neck. It was the second day in a row that he had woken up alone after having fallen asleep with someone beside him, and he remembered Kakashi's words from last night: _. . . and in the light of day tomorrow I'll probably say it again_. He smiled to himself; he could live with that, at least until this mission was over. When they returned home, though, was a different story. Now that he knew what  could be between them he had no intention of backing away. But for now it was still a mission, and he wanted to know what was going on, so he hurriedly rose, straightened his clothes, and detoured to the bathroom before climbing out of the window.

As expected Genma, Izumo, and Kotetsu were reporting on the events of the night, and all three looked oddly exhilarated considering their exhaustion. Despite his curiosity Iruka insisted that everybody eat a decent breakfast first. Genma accompanied Sakura in fetching it, and the six of them enjoyed their first real meal together since arriving at the onsen. The mission and it's realities was never discussed, but it hung in the background the entire time.

Once breakfast was finished they all gathered out in the garden at Kakashi's insistence. He was fairly certain that the rooms of the suite were free of any kind of bugs, but fairly certain wasn't completely certain. “Better safe than sorry,” he said with a smile. Iruka snorted at the triteness of the sentiment, however accurate is was under the circumstances.

They sat beside each other on the bench at the base of a tree. Genma, who had sprawled in an untidy heap on the ground, lifted the arm that was over his eyes to stare at the pair of them before turning to look at Izumo. “I think they got there without our help,” he said, getting a chuckle in response. Kotetsu was about to add some comment to the mix when Sakura made an angry noise in the back of her throat and clenched a fist.

“I'm not above causing bodily harm to a teammate who deserves it, Genma-san,” she growled, making the honorific sound like an insult. “Just ask Sai and Naruto.”

Genma looked aghast, mouth gaping as he worked at making some response. “You wouldn't,” he finally managed to choke out.

Sakura's grin was positively feral. “Why not?” she asked with a pointed glare. “I can always heal the damage afterwards.”

“That's enough,” Kakashi broke in, sounding almost bored. “Although I wouldn't object to seeing Genma ground into dust on general principle -” There was a loud snort from Genma. “ - we do have more important things to be getting on with.” He glanced at Izumo, who started and deliberately wiped the smile from his face.

“Okay, right,” he began. “Between regular sweeps of the area I kept an eye on our security consultant/major domo.” He sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. “In other circumstances I might complain about how thoroughly boring the man is, but something happened last night to catch my interest.” He waited until he had everyone's undivided attention. “He was present at a meeting between Kurotsuchi and Akemi, supposedly as a security measure, but he was a lot more active in their discussion than a simple security goon should have been.”

“And the contents of that discussion?” Iruka asked.

“Innuendo, double-talk, and a hell of a lot of hinting,” Izumo replied with a grimace. “Unfortunately not one flat-out statement of _Let's smuggle weapons, drugs, and foodstuffs and make ridiculous fucking profits through the black market!_ followed by insanely evil laughter.” He shrugged. “In short a lot of stuff that we can see the meaning of, but nothing you could take to a court of law.”

Kakashi grunted. “It's lucky, then, that we're not here to arrest them and have them stand trial.” He smiled when he said it, though, and gave Izumo an acknowledging nod. “That's good work, but I suspect from the way Genma and Kotetsu are squirming in anticipation that they might have something even more intriguing to share.”

“I don't know about intriguing,” Genma said with a sidelong glance at Kotetsu. “But probably more surprising.” He gestured for his companion to continue the story.

Kotetsu grinned. “Only of you're inclined to be surprised that Tohiko is having an affair with Osuushi.”

Iruka clenched his jaw to prevent his mouth from dropping open; apparently he _was_ inclined to be surprised. Kakashi's only reaction was a slight widening of his eyes, and Sakura just laughed. “You can't blame the woman,” she said. “If it's only about looks I'd choose the ox over Kurotsuchi any day.” Then she looked abashed. “Forgetting that whole he-might-have-raped-someone-thing.”

Iruka took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. “We know what you meant,” he softly assured her before turning his attention back to Genma. He pointed at the tokujo. “There's more, isn't there? You still look like a thoroughly satisfied, and smug, feline.”

Genma laughed. “Oh yes, there's more. Thanks to my status as Konoha's stealth master -” Kakashi scoffed but didn't argue the point (mainly because it was true). “- I was able to get close enough to catch a sampling of their pillow talk.”

He paused a little too long in building up anticipation. “And?!” Sakura burst out just as Kakashi growled his name.

“The pair of them are hip deep in all of Akemi and Kurotsuchi's plots, but they're also conducting a little side business of their own. An even more lucrative side business.”

“They're siphoning off some of the goods from the main smuggling operation and selling them to a very select group of – shall we say private? - clients,” Kotetsu put in.

“And just what goods are they selling?” Kakashi asked, his voice dangerously low.

Kotetsu swallowed hard and glanced at Genma before answering. “Weapons,” he all but whispered. “Shinobi grade weapons.”

Kakashi swore, surged to his feet and started to pace. “And let me guess,” he said. “These private clients – they're all friends of Osuushi's from his mercenary days, right? Which means chances are they're in league with rogue nin.”

Genma nodded. “I recognized a couple of names that were mentioned. They were in the last Bingo Book issued before the war. All S-class.” He grimaced. “All Iwa.” Then he laughed without a trace of humor. “That woman babbles an awful lot after sex.”

“Oh god.”

Kakashi froze in his pacing at that strangled comment and everyone looked toward Iruka, who had gone pale. “She wasn't jealous,” he said. “She was looking for something. Some sign or indication. . .” His voice trailed off and he started to look rather green. “She knows, dammit! Which means he does as well!”

As much as he wanted to comfort the chuunin Kakashi knew he had to maintain that distance as the team captain. Sakura had no such need, though, and quickly sat beside Iruka, putting an arm around her former teacher's shoulders. “Kakashi-sensei?” she asked, sounding for all the world like a twelve year old girl again. “Do you think he's right? That Osuushi and Tohiko know who we are and why we're here?”

The honest answer to that question was more than likely, but Kakashi had not survived over two decades as a shinobi by accepting _likely_. “Probably,” he said, watching Sakura's face carefully. “But spilling that secret to Kurotsuchi would run the risk of revealing their separate business dealings, so we have some time.” He looked at Izumo. “I'd rather not do this since there's a chance it will give the entire game away, but we need the messenger hawks.”

Izumo didn't hesitate; he pulled a scroll out of one of his pockets and released the seal. Two of the prized Konoha birds puffed into being. Kakashi grabbed some parchment and a pen from Genma and quickly scribbled two identical messages, reporting the bare bones of the situation. “One for the Tsuchikage and one for the Hokage,” he explained before signaling both birds to take off.

“That's not the only message you're going to send, right?” Kotetsu asked.

Kakashi returned to his seat beside Iruka, grin wolfish. “If I know Tsunade she dispatched another team to follow behind us and be in place if we needed help.” He flashed through a series of hand signs, bit his thumb, then pushed a hand to the ground. In a blast of air and swirl of smoke Pakkun appeared, looking as disgruntled as ever.

“Boss,” he said, managing to sound just respectful enough while maintaining his habitual bad attitude.

Kakashi, as always, ignored it. “Ditch your vest and hitai-ate,” he ordered. “This needs to be about as covert as it gets.” Iruka moved from the bench to the ground and helped the pug out of his gear. “Head in the direction of Konoha and find our back-up.”

“Anyone in particular I should be sniffing for?” Pakkun asked.

Kakashi stared at Genma, who blushed. “Raidou,” he finally said, looking at Pakkun. “Namiashi Raidou is in command of the other team.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

Four hours later Iruka was ready to tear his hair out from boredom. Kotetsu, Izumo, and Genma were all asleep, and Sakura was occupied with sorting through the medical supplies that she had brought, sealed inside a special scroll. Kakashi was in the garden, keeping watch and surveying the immediate area. But Iruka had nothing to do; it was so bad that he was even considering borrowing Kakashi's _Icha Icha Paradise_.

He had wanted to change into his uniform and feel the welcome solidity of his weapons at his hip, but Kakashi had insisted they do all they could to maintain their cover, so Iruka was still dressed in the woman's robes (although not as formally and with a few less layers), with his hair down and his face made-up. When three members of the onsen's kitchen staff delivered lunch he knew that staying in disguise had been the right choice; not one of the servers gave him a second glance. That didn't make carrying on with the masquerade any easier, though.

He was laying down in the hopes of killing time with a nap when a sudden weight landed on the bed, startling him. Iruka swallowed a yelp of surprise and sat up, meeting Pakkun's gaze.

“Yo,” the pug said, sounding just as casual and non-committal as his boss.

Almost as if he had some sort of radar Kakashi appeared in the room barely a second after the ninken spoke. “Report,” he barked out.

“Namiashi's team was five miles out,” Pakkun replied with a canine shrug. “They didn't believe I was one of your ninken until Akamaru confirmed it.”

Iruka felt a smile twitch his lips. “Akamaru? So Kiba is in the team?”

Pakkun nodded. “All three of Kurenai's brats are,” he said. “Best damn trackers in Konoha, after me and the rest of the pack.”

Iruka had to fight the urge to laugh at how well the ninken combined praise with disgruntlement at having to admit Team 8 was _that_ good. Pakkun cast him a suspicious glance before returning his attention to Kakashi. “I relayed your message. There's an old safehouse less than a mile to the west, near the entrance to an abandoned mine. Namiashi'll bring his team there just after sundown, so whatever you want to do to put a stop to the smuggling you'd better make plans now.”

For a moment it seemed as if Kakashi hadn't heard the ninken's report, but in the few days of this mission Iruka had learned to read his normally covered face. He was thinking; you could almost see the gears turning in his head. The chuunin and the pug stayed quiet, waiting it out.

Kakashi suddenly gave his head a sharp shake. “Right, here's what's happening.” He met Iruka's eyes directly. “There's a dinner party tonight, one that I was hoping we could avoid, but now we're going to attend. Best clothes, best behavior,” he added with a grin. “Sakura and Kotetsu will go to the safe-house and meet up with Namiashi's crew while Izumo and Genma stay with us. Hopefully I can drop enough hints in the dinner conversation to let our friends know the game is up, then we'll signal Raidou to bring his team in. With luck we can end this without a major battle or any injuries.”

Having seen the expression on Osuushi's face on a few occasions Iruka had his doubts about not having to fight, but he kept them to himself. “And what will I be doing while you're dropping hints and spoiling everyone's appetite?” he asked.

Kakashi grinned and reached out to touch a lock of dark auburn hair. “You'll be your usual beautiful self,” he said, tugging lightly on the chuunin's hair.

“I'm outta here,” Pakkun growled, looking from one man to the other with a disgusted glare before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

“Kakashi. . .” Iruka began, voice a low, warning growl.

Kakashi started to laugh. “Sorry, but the look on your face – never mind Pakkun's – was priceless!” He struggled to get his mirth under control. “But seriously, that is exactly what I need you to do tonight. Be the beautiful 'woman' that Kurotsuchi sent flowers to and keep his mind off-balance. I'll take care of the rest.”

Iruka looked dubious. “That's it? Do you honestly think that'll work?”

“Haven't you ever been that distracted by a girl you were attracted to, sensei?”

“No, I haven't!” Iruka exclaimed, hating himself for the flush he could feel rising to his cheeks. He dropped his eyes from the jounin's gaze. “That's how I figured out I liked men better,” he whispered.

Kakashi sat on the bed beside the chuunin and leaned in close. “Me too,” he breathed, deriving a great deal of pleasure from the way Iruka shivered as the warm breath ruffled the hair that hung over his ear. He moved closer, pulled almost against his will, and held his breath as Iruka turned his head, bringing their lips close together.

“Light of day, Kakashi-san. Remember?”

Kakashi huffed out a laugh and with a rueful smile of acknowledgment stood and moved away. Then he bent and took Iruka's chin gently in hand. “You win this round, sensei,” he quietly commented as he used the thumb on that hand to stroke across the chuunin's scar. “But when this mission is over, and we're back in Konoha, I won't give up so easily.”

Iruka's smile was soft and (Dare he say?) loving as he laid his hand over Kakashi's. “I'm not scared, taichou.” His smile shifted a little closer to lewd. “In fact I'm counting on it.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

If someone had told Iruka a few days ago that it was possible to literally be bored to death he would never have believed them.

He knew better now, of course. The first reception and dinner they had attended since arriving at the onsen had been bad enough. Tonight's festivities (using the term _very_ loosely) were that much worse.

A part of him knew he shouldn't be bored; the lack of Osuushi's presence at this particular party should have caused some nervousness at least. But Iruka knew that Genma had been tasked with tracking the smuggler down and keeping an eye on him and he had almost unfailing belief in the tokujo's skill. Izumo stayed in the banquet hall, taking up a position from which he could see both Kakashi and Iruka. When he caught his fellow chuunin looking at him Izumo smothered a grin and rolled his eyes.

It was a small break in the dullness. As part of Kakashi's plan for the evening Iruka was seated beside Kurotsuchi, and the man seemed completely incapable of intelligent conversation. Iruka had entertained himself for about five minutes in trying to determine if it was natural stupidity or just an outgrowth of adolescent-crush awkwardness. Of course thinking about that so-called crush brought to mind the other reason he was unreasonably bored: pretending to be a spoiled, empty-headed female was hardly a daunting task.

But when he glanced toward Kakashi, who was seated opposite and slightly to his left, he found himself understanding Kurotsuchi's awkwardness a bit more. It was undeniable that his long-standing attraction to the other man had more or less exploded into this. . . whatever this was. The nature of this mission, and the close quarters, had lowered a lot of emotional barriers between them as surely as Kakashi had dropped the physical barrier of his mask. And the thought that it was only an outgrowth of the mission worried Iruka while at the same time it engendered a desire to show a tad more sympathy to his students when they were caught up in the throes of puppy love.

A lull came after the last course of the meal was served. Wine glasses were refreshed and more sake bottles brought out. Conversation also died away to a low murmur as many around the table eased back in their chairs, some with audible groans of fulfillment. Iruka took advantage of the pause to escape to the restroom, feeling an almost desperate need for a moment alone.

Of course he couldn't be so lucky; he was barely in the corridor that led to the private lavatories when he felt Izumo behind him. When he looked over his shoulder to glare at his fellow chuunin Izumo simply shrugged. “Boss's orders,” was all he said.

Iruka just managed to keep from snarling. Just. “I can manage the bathroom on my own,” he commented, pausing in the hall with his arms folded, not moving. “I can even manage the walk to get there.”

“True, but you're not going to, sensei. At least not the walk part.”

Iruka sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. Just. . . not so close, okay?” He lowered his voice. “But why the extra concern? Besides the obvious fact that Osuushi is nowhere to be found.”

“Do we need another reason?” Izumo queried, his one visible eyebrow quirked upward.

“No, I suppose not.” Iruka paused outside the door labeled with a discreet female sign. “This is probably as far as you should go,” he said with a slight smile. “I'm able to get away with it, for obvious reasons -”

Izumo blanched and then a flush stained his cheeks. “I'll wait outside,” he stammered as he turned his back to the door.

It didn't take long to accomplish his business, but Iruka stayed in the small room for a few minutes, knowing that he needed the time to himself if he was going to get through the rest of the evening. In a way he was almost hoping that they would have a fight on their hands when it came time to put a stop to the smuggling, if only because the adrenaline rush would break him out of the stupor he had fallen into since first donning this disguise. With a sigh he sank down onto the small, plush bench between the sink and the door and closed his eyes.

Only to have them snap open at the sound of a muffled voice and thump from outside the door. And then he felt. . . It wasn't well formed – a jumbled mess, really – but it was unmistakably chakra. His own, having been kept suppressed for days, almost tingled in response. But the presence he felt wasn't familiar, wasn't an ally, and that was enough to galvanize him in to action. Cursing the heavy clothes and the multiple layers he surged to his feet and tugged open the door just in time to see Izumo hit the wall, hard, then slump to the floor unconscious.

The two thugs in the corridor were ones he hadn't seen before, which made Iruka pause. No weapons, limited mobility, and fighting unknown quantities was never a good combination. One of the men was clearly the source of the jumbled, messy chakra he had sensed a few moments ago while the other was just as obviously chakra dead. So, jutsu. It would give the game away, to an extent, but options were not in great supply. He had only managed two hand signs before a voice sounded from the darker end of the hall. An unpleasant, gruff voice that he immediately recognized.

“Well, well, well. There she is.”

Iruka froze as Osuushi stepped into the light behind the two he had been about to face off with. Something on his face must have given him away because the other man grinned nastily. “If you're looking for your protection I ditched him about ten minutes ago. But no worries; he'll survive.” He moved around the other thugs and stepped close; Iruka instinctively flinched away but Osuushi caught hold of his shoulder, then roughly pushed his fingers into the chuunin's dark fall of hair.

“What do you think boys?” he asked his compatriots, that hand sliding out of his hair to cup Iruka's cheek. “Beautiful, right? And knows hand seals! A shinobi trained beauty like this. . .” Osuushi's voice trailed off as he crowded Iruka against the door at his back. “I think that jackass will pay a very pretty penny to get her back.”

_There_ _ **she**_ _is_. And _. . . get_ _ **her**_ _back_. Iruka swallowed his sigh of relief. Osuushi still believed the cover story. Still believed he was a woman. It didn't make the three-against-one odds any better, but the alternative was that much worse. Being kidnapped for ransom was infinitely preferable to being killed.

Not that he intended to allow himself to be kidnapped. Since Osuushi had already seen him form hand signs that part of his cover had already collapsed, so with no hesitation he finished the seals he had started before the ox's appearance. “Katon: Endan!”

It wasn't the most powerful fire technique he had in his arsenal but it served well as a distraction. The two unknown men quickly dodged out of the way as the flame bullets flew towards their faces, hitting the wall and igniting it as the oil spread. But Osuushi was made of sterner stuff, and simply threw the trailing tail of his haori up, blocking the flames.

But that was enough for Iruka. If he could use chakra aided speed to get past he'd have a clear line back to the banquet hall. Back to where he would find help.

To where he'd find Kakashi.

But the weight of all those enveloping garments betrayed him, and the last thing he was aware of was pain as his hair was caught in a strong grip, and then blackness.


	4. Chapter 4

Kakashi was unnerved, and that was a strange feeling for him. Long minutes had passed, dessert was now being served, and Iruka and Izumo had not returned. From where he sat he could see Kurotsuchi casting glances at Iruka's empty chair; glances that his mistress, Tohiko, saw as well. But there was no anger in her face, rather a smug sort of satisfaction that put all of Kakashi's senses on alert. The lack of Osuushi's presence was now taking on a more ominous meaning.

He was on the verge of excusing himself from what was left of the evening – had half-risen to his feet – when there was a commotion from the hall. Loud voices, scuffling footsteps, and then Genma burst through the door. A bruise the size and shape of a rifle butt stood out on his forehead, a knot was clearly visible behind his right ear, and blood stained his left sleeve and dripped from his hand. Some of the women shrieked at the sight of him, but all Kakashi saw was the wild, almost panicked, look in his eyes

“The ox,” he gasped out. “Lost him. . . Izumo. . . out.” Genma paused to take a breath. “They took Iruka,” he finished before dropping to his knees.

Kakashi was around the table and at the tokujo's side in a heartbeat, but Genma shook him off. “I'm all right,” he grunted, wincing as he moved his left arm. “You need to go after them.”

Laughter behind them caused both men to turn. “You'll never find them,” Tohiko said, a look of triumph on her face. “But if you pay what we ask you can have your precious 'sensei' back.” Her smile was vicious. “I can't guarantee she'll be in the same condition, of course, but alive is better than the alternative.”

Kakashi and Genma exchanged a look; they had both made a note of the feminine pronoun. But before either could respond to Tohiko's words Kurotsuchi rose to his feet, face slack with surprise. “Tohiko, what -” was all he could get out before she rounded on him, unleashing her anger.

“And you, you utter idiot!” she shouted. “I would never – NEVER – have turned away from you if you had used your contacts and skills in the right way! But you were content with the measly profits to be had from smuggling food and medical supplies; never wanted to risk running afoul of the shinobi world by getting mixed up with weapons and illegal drugs.” She threw an arm out, finger pointing, unwavering, at Kakashi and Genma. “Well you didn't want their attention but you have it now! Shinobi, and from Konoha, no less!”

Kurotsuchi blanched, then just as quickly his face was suffused with an angry flush. “You?” he whispered. “You and Osuushi?” There was a hush in the room, then a sound like a gunshot as Kurotsuchi struck Tohiko with a backhand across the face. She dropped to her knees and he stood over her, looking rather like an avenging angel. “You did this!” he grated out. “Things would never have come to this pass if you had done as I asked! You brought this down on us, you whore!”

He raised his hand to strike her again but Kakashi was faster, across the room and grabbing his arm. “You can do what you want with her when this is over,” he said, voice low so that no one else could hear him. “But if you want to gain any leniency for your own illegal activities you'll tell me what I need to know so I can find the missing member of my team.”

The smuggler looked defiant for a moment, but Kakashi tightened his grip on the man's arm and with a hiss of pain he gave in. “There's an abandoned mine to the west of here,” he said. “We were planning to use it as a new base of operations here in Fire Country. Osuushi isn't familiar with the region, but he knows that place is easily defensible. He probably took her there.”

Kakashi didn't spare the rest of the crowd another thought. He summoned three of his ninken: Shiba, Uhei, and Pakkun. “Shiba, you run ahead to this mine and alert Namiashi and his team; you'll find Sakura and Kotetsu with them. Uhei, you go with Genma and Izumo and keep watch. They're both injured so Shiba will bring Sakura back to you to tend to them.” He looked down at Pakkun. “You're leading me on the fastest path there. We're going to rescue Iruka.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

Iruka had spent a fair amount of time in caves as a child; they were ideal places to store supplies and plan out his pranks. So he knew that dank, earthy, wet stone smell even before he opened his eyes. The underlying scent of sulfur was a surprise, though, but he figured they were still close enough to the spring that fed the onsen.

But opening his eyes was definitely not the best idea. Pain shot from behind his right ear, and when he raised a hand to the area he found a tender spot with a lump the size of an egg already forming. At least that explained why the last thing he remembered was his vision going black. But it was returning now, and the pain receded to a manageable level, at least enough that looking around didn't hurt. The brief spurts of dizziness were another story.

At first he thought his senses were playing tricks on him, because this definitely wasn't a cave. At least not a natural one. But then his memory supplied the information about the abandoned mine, and he guessed that's where he was. The smell of sulfur was slightly stronger from one direction, which helped orient him, and not being tied up was a bonus as well.

“You're awake.”

The voice wasn't Osuushi's, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing, Iruka turned his head and met the eyes of one of the thugs that had knocked out Izumo, almost recoiling from the lustful look in the man's eyes. The man squatted down, bringing his face in close proximity, and this time Iruka did pull away. A hand shot out and roughly grabbed the nape of his neck, holding him firmly in place.

“Osuushi said we couldn't harm you if we expect your keeper to pay top dollar,” he said, breathing the scent of garlic and rotting teeth into his captive's face. “But I figure as long as nothing shows. . .” His voice trailed of as a hand slid across Iruka's thigh, dangerously close to revealing the truth of his gender.

“Get away from her, you pig!” The voice echoed through the mine shaft and was followed by a loud thunk as Osuushi whacked his partner on the back of the head. “I told you we needed her unharmed, and I meant completely.” He shoved his cohort out of the way and knelt beside Iruka, who felt an insane (and inappropriate) desire to laugh at the apologetic look on the man's face.

“You really think he'll pay a sizable ransom for me?” Iruka asked, not fighting the desire to laugh anymore. “As if he couldn't replace me in less time than it would take to tell you to fuck off!” As he spoke he deliberately let his voice drop back to its normal tone and timbre. “But with or without a ransom you'll regret taking me.”

By the time he finished speaking Osuushi's eyes had gone as wide as saucers. “You. . . You're a. . .”

Iruka stood up and stripped himself of all his elaborate outer robes, stopping when he stood before the smuggler in kimono and hakama trousers. Then in a decisive motion he tugged the kimono's sash free and it fell open, revealing a tanned, muscled chest, without the slightest hint of breasts. “I think the word you're looking for is 'man'. I'm a man, and this ends now!” And he lashed out with a roundhouse kick that caught Osuushi in the shoulder, sending him tumbling back.

But the other man was known as 'ox' for a reason. He was back on his feet and in Iruka's space in the blink of an eye, crowding the chuunin and making any taijutsu moves ineffective. He used his size and strength to pin Iruka against the wall, calling for his partners as he fended off the few punches and kicks that the shinobi managed to launch. He squealed in pain when Iruka bit down, hard, on the fleshy part of his thumb, then thumped the other man on the already existing lump behind his ear.

Iruka's head exploded with pain and his vision swam, and it was just enough of a distraction to slow him down and give Osuushi's companions a chance to get hold of him and wrestle him to the ground. He could hear the ox breathing heavily above him, and felt the warm drip of blood from a bitten hand strike his cheek.

“Throw him in that shaft and open up the water valves,” Osuushi growled. “We'll see how feisty he feels after a couple of hours of that.”

Iruka was willing to bet he wouldn't feel feisty at all. But if water was involved. . . Well, he just might find a way out of this after all.

****~**~**~**~**~****

“They showed up just over an hour ago,” Raidou said. "They drove a wagon directly into the mine, so we have no way of knowing if Iruka-sensei is with them or not.” He glanced around at the members of his team. “We figured the wagon was full of smuggled goods that needed to be hidden.”

Kakashi pushed a hand through his hair and held on to his temper. He couldn't fault Raidou and his team for not investigating further. Their orders, issued by him, had been to stay in hiding until they got the signal to move in. They had followed those to the letter.

“I think we'd be safe in assuming that Iruka-sensei is there,” Sakura put in. She was seated at the broken down table healing the gash on Genma's arm. “What Kurotsuchi said makes sense; if Osuushi isn't familiar with the area he'd go to the only place he knows.” She looked up and met Kakashi's eyes. “It's worth the risk.”

Tatami Iwashi, serving as Raidou's second-in-command, agreed. “There are eleven of us, plus four ninken. And we only saw three of them. Even the most easily defended place can be taken when the odds are that much in one side's favor.”

“Don't forget Iruka,” Kotetsu added. “If he's able you bet your ass he'll fight from the inside.”

Kakashi hadn't spoken, just absorbed all of the opinions and comments. When everyone had at last had a chance to speak he turned to Hinata and Shino. “How long would it take for a couple of your beetles to get inside?” he asked the Aburame chuunin.

“Not long, but if you expect them to do any scouting it'll be considerably longer,” Shino replied with no hesitation. “We don't know how big that mine is, or how extensive the tunnels are.”

“Well, hopefully we can narrow the area down a little,” Kakashi replied with a glance at Hinata. “I know you won't be able to see any fine details but you should be able to detect chakra, right? Even through rock?”

Hinata nodded. “If there are any chakra deadening minerals it'll cause some problems, but I can work around that. And I'm familiar enough with Iruka-sensei's chakra signature that I'll have no trouble recognizing it.”

Kakashi smiled, marveling at how strong and confident that shy and retiring girl had become. “Then go take a look,” he ordered. “The rest of us will wait here for your signal.”

Hinata left the safe-house, climbing out one of the windows that faced away from the mine's entrance, a stealth move that Kakashi heartily approved of. He knew it wouldn't take the young woman long; as she had said she was thoroughly familiar with Iruka's chakra signature and would have no problem finding it. That thought had barely passed through his head when he heard a sound like the call of a mourning dove. Every member of Raidou's team, including Akamaru, lifted their heads.

“That's the signal,” Raidou said. He glanced at Kakashi, deferring to the more senior officer present. When Kakashi gave a sharp nod Raidou turned to Shino. “You know what to do.”

Shino left the safe-house through the same window, and an agonizing ten minutes passed before he returned with Hinata at his heels. “There are four of them,” he reported. “Not one of them is with Iruka-sensei. He's in a mineshaft that's partially full of water, so I guess they think they don't need to guard him.”

Then Hinata spoke up. “There are only two chakra signatures besides Sensei's. And neither of them is very clean, so we don't have to worry about opponents with shinobi training.”

Yamashiro Aoba, wearing his sunglasses despite the darkness, chuckled. “No, no shinobi training. Just down and dirty street fighting.” He looked around the room. “I'm up for it. Anybody else?”

Kakashi laughed outright, drawing startled looks in his direction. He stared at Aoba, appraising. “You have Fire Release, right?” When Aoba nodded he went on. “Right, you and I go first, fire jutsus as a distraction only. We draw them out, then the rest of you come in.” He glanced at Izumo, who rose unsteadily to his feet. Sakura had healed the lumps and bumps on his head but fully getting over a concussion took time. “Not you, Kamizuki. Not with a concussion.”

Izumo almost looked relieved as he slid back down the wall until he was once again seated. With a soft whine Uhei lay down beside the chuunin, head in his lap, and looked up at Kakashi. “I'll stay with him, boss.” The ninken tilted his head to take best advantage of Izumo rubbing his ears. “We'll take care of each other.”

“I'll stay too if Izumo will rub my ears like that,” Genma put in, earning himself a few laughs and a thump on the head from Raidou. The joke did what it was designed to do – broke the tension that had been growing – and it was in a much more relaxed frame of mind that Kakashi went out the window with Aoba right behind.

 _He's there, he's fine_ , he told himself, repeating it like a mantra. _We'll get him out, finish this damned mission and go home. Then we'll find out what really could be between us._

He and Aoba separated in order to approach the mine entrance from opposite directions. Kakashi paused behind a tree, taking a moment to reach out with all of his senses to ensure that they were still in the clear. He held up a hand where he knew Aoba could see it and used his fingers to count down from three. Then in perfect unison he and Yamashiro burst from hiding, hands already flashing through seals.

“Katon: Hibashiri!”

****~**~**~**~**~****

At the sound of explosions and flames crackling from above Iruka looked up with a smile. He had known they'd come for him, but he was still prepared to get himself out of trouble. The frantic shouts and screams of his captors moved further away, giving him the opening he needed. He laid one hand on the wall beside him, gauging the stress that all the water was putting on the earth and rocks that lined the shaft. _Not long now_ , he thought. _Any minute. . ._

The earth beneath his hand all but trembled, and he was ready. A quick series of hand signs, a push of chakra, and -

“Suiton: Mizu bakuhatsu!”

****~**~**~**~**~****

The fight turned out to be surprisingly brutal. Aoba had been right in describing it as down and dirty street fighting; Osuushi and his hired hands had none of the skill and grace of trained ninjas, but they were surprisingly effective otherwise. Raidou was half blinded as blood from a cut across his eyebrow obscured his vision, and for a minute it seemed he was in danger of being gutted. But in a flash Hinata was there, sending her opponent flying with a textbook use of the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm. The man connected solidly with a tree and slumped down, removed from the fight.

On another part of the impromptu battlefield Akamaru and Shiba had one of the thugs treed and were jumping, snapping, and snarling at him as Kiba stood nearby, laughing. The main part of the fight was taking place between that tree and where Kakashi stood, with Genma and Kotetsu facing down Osuushi and the biggest one of his henchman. Genma was clearly taking being injured and knocked unconscious personally; Osuushi's left arm resembled a pincushion with all of the senbon now stuck in it.

But it still seemed as if that fight was evenly matched, and Kakashi was about to step in to end it when Sakura all but dropped out of the sky in one of her favorite maneuvers, chakra-charged fist hitting the ground and shattering the earth more effectively than any earthquake. All of the shinobi, accustomed to her strength and power, managed to stay on their feet as the ground beneath them shifted, but their opponents were not so lucky. Osuushi and his partner both fell heavily but were back up as soon as the rumbling died away.

Only it didn't die away. The noise rolled on, only now it was coming from beneath their feet, rising up from the ground. There was more, higher pitched in tone, coming from the opening into the mine. Not exactly sure what was causing it, or what might happen, Kakashi gave the one order that would protect both teams and the ninken. “TREES!” he shouted, snatching up Pakkun and leaping for the nearest branch that looked like it would support his weight.

Just in time, too. Before the thugs could even react water burst from the mine's entrance and geysered out of the ground, gushing through the cracks caused by Sakura's punch. They were all swept off their feet by the force of it and pushed into the hole that had been left by her fist. The water soaked the churned up soil, quickly creating a think, glutenous mud that trapped three of their opponents. The fourth was struggling to pull one of his legs out of Akamaru's mouth.

And Iruka – soaking wet, stripped of all his borrowed finery, barefoot and wearing plain hakama and an untied kimono, long hair in a wet mess framing his face – walked out of the mine in the wake of all of that water, smiling. “Took you guys long enough,” he quipped.

Kakashi stared at him for a long moment, then at the destruction that had clearly been Iruka's doing. He stepped close enough that he could have wrapped his arms around the chuunin, leaning close to whisper in his ear.

“You are _so_ teaching me that water jutsu when we get home.”

****~**~**~**~**~****

Five hours found them back at the onsen and alone for the first time in days. Osuushi and his cohorts had been dealt with at the mine in the most efficient way possible, their dead bodies weighted down and sunk beneath the water that was still in the mineshaft. Kakashi was personally of the opinion that they had gotten off easy.

When both teams arrived at the onsen it was to a few surprises, not the least of which was that Kurotsuchi had apparently taken Kakashi's advice about earning leniency to heart. He had Tohiko, Akemi, and Akemi's wife locked up in a small storage room off of the kitchen, watched over by members of the resort's security detail. The one member of the onsen's staff who's involvement in the smuggling could be proved had made good his escape, but his freedom wouldn't last long. The message sent to the Hokage had specifically asked for another team to be sent out, ready for the mop up operation. Raidou took command of the combined teams and they set off, escorting the prisoners back to Konoha.

Kakashi was just finishing up his conversation with the local magistrate, explaining to the man how Kurotsuchi had been on their side in the end, and guardedly praising the man for his handling of the situation, when Iruka appeared in the door of the banquet hall. He looked much more like his usual self; hair restrained in its habitual ponytail and face, especially the scar, free of make-up. He wore the forest green yukata from the previous day and looked like some sort of woodland nymph. With a final comment and nod of acknowledgment Kakashi left the magistrate, moving toward the chuunin. He took Iruka's elbow gently in hand and steered him towards their suite of rooms.

“We get to stay one more night,” he softly said. “Just the two of us.” He watched the blush rise across Iruka's face with pleasure.

Iruka could feel his face burning, but didn't let that stop him. He shifted his arm so that Kakashi's hand slipped from his elbow and down to his, twining their fingers together. “I thought we were waiting till we got home,” was his response. “Not that I mind. . .”

Kakashi laughed, pressing close against the other man's side. “We were waiting for the mission to be over,” he corrected. “And as of the end of my talk with that magistrate it is most definitely over.” He gently squeezed the hand in his. “So. . .”

They had reached the door to the suite, and Iruka turned to face Kakashi, reaching his arms around the other man's neck to play with the hair at his nape. They kissed; a soft, gentle, and sweet meeting of lips that tasted like a promise of things to come. When he broke the kiss Iruka didn't pull away, but dragged his lips across the other man's jaw to his ear.

“Race you to the spring.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm gonna put up the note that I avoided doing at first, since I thought it would make guessing my "secret identity" that much easier. :D
> 
> Mad millions of thanks to both Berocca and zombiefied419 for the beta work. Berocca took on the task even though I know she was insanely busy with her job and zombiefied419 stepped in as a clutch player and tackled the whole 16K+ words in no time flat. You guys are the best! <3


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